[jehan12413]

I recall reading some posts in the past regarding a rust problem with headway cells. I will be assembling mine soon and am wondering if anyone can reccomend a good conductive grease/ corrosion inhibitor for me to use. Thanks

 

[Johny]

I just used Lithium Grease in an aerosol can. Sprayed it on the top and bottom of the cells and the links (as best I could) while the links were attached. I had mine in storage since February 2010 and could not find any corrosion in 384 cells - before adding the grease!
Admittedly, the cells were in the headway cases as 16S2P (48V 20AH).
I had to disassemble all the cases to add my BMS monitor and modify their BMS.

 

[frodus]

The cells that were corroded didn't corrode on their own. They used the wrong bussbar. The packs were assembled using steel bussbar that rusted, and the corrosion caused a snowball effect and rusted the other cells. Once it started rusting, it spread to the cells quickly. The guy also lived near the ocean, where the salinity of the humid air is fairly high. Salt is a Catalyst.

I have 200 cells, and not 1 of them is corroded. They're in my garage in Portland, OR where the humidity is high.

Just don't use anything except for copper or tin plated copper to assemble.

 

[jehan12413]

Travis,
What about aluminum? I was wondering about using a light coat of silicon grease before attaching the bus bars as is done with marine batteries. I live in a high humidity area and have a few cells in storage in the house and they are already starting to show some signs of rust inside the threads.

 

[frodus]

Travis,
What about aluminum? I was wondering about using a light coat of silicon grease before attaching the bus bars as is done with marine batteries. I live in a high humidity area and have a few cells in storage in the house and they are already starting to show some signs of rust inside the threads.

Aluminum should be ok, but you need thicker aluminum as its not as great of a conductor. Also, it will pit if its anywhere around saline air.

The rust, from what I've seen on my cells, is from the screws. msg me and I'll give you my email, and you can send me some pictures.

I've only heard of one or two instances with surface rust. One was bad, and one was just a few specs on one or 2 cells where the coating on the end conductor was scratched through to the metal.

 

[Johny]

The packs I bought from headway (12 of 48V20AH) actually use steel busbar links. I coated them with lithium grease spray as well. Too many to replace them I'm afraid.

 

[frodus]

I have no clue why they used steel bussbar links.... bad bad idea. Especially since they drilled the holes AFTER they were coated, it left the uncoated steel vulnerable to rust and corrosion.

 

[jehan12413]

Travis,
I don't have any pics to send yet as the rust is very light and only on the threads ( on some new unused cells). It just won't show up in the pics. I guess what I want to know is when using aluminum busbars should I assemble dry or is there a light lube which I can apply to the ends of the cells that will not act as an insulator when I bolt the busbars on? One of my friends suggested copper anti seize. Thanks

 

[BMI/LiFeTech]

I have no clue why they used steel bussbar links.... bad bad idea. Especially since they drilled the holes AFTER they were coated, it left the uncoated steel vulnerable to rust and corrosion.

Don't you just love top quality Chinese manufacturing!

 

[poprock]

Travis,
I don't have any pics to send yet as the rust is very light and only on the threads ( on some new unused cells). It just won't show up in the pics. I guess what I want to know is when using aluminum busbars should I assemble dry or is there a light lube which I can apply to the ends of the cells that will not act as an insulator when I bolt the busbars on? One of my friends suggested copper anti seize. Thanks

Hi; limited experience in this but as already mentioned, Aluminium has only appr. 62% the conductivity of copper. Had a defect develop in a 175 transmig welder supposedly manufactured in NZ but in reality Asia, a connector strap made of aluminium only lasted 6mths, replaced it with a flattened 1/2" copper water pipe ; still going. Cost savings now can be expensive later. Cheers